Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

September 21, 2021

Pierre's fantasy football waiver wire pickups, adds and sleepers ahead of Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season. Free agent RB, WR, TE, QB and D/ST to target.

Week 2 was ugly in the early slate with low-scoring games and QB injuries across the board. Things picked up through the afternoon but the typical surprises that make fantasy football so aggravating at times resurfaced. Touchdown vultures, mid-game injuries, and big-name duds (looking at you, Alvin Kamara) were all present. Nevertheless, we move on to another week to taste the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

The waiver wire isn't rife with great options right now but if some players that aren't listed here are available in your league, such as Sony Michel and Michael Carter at RB, Sterling Shepard and Darnell Mooney at WR, or Justin Fields at QB, prioritize them over the players listed below.

All rostered percentages are taken from Yahoo and players are listed in descending order, not in order of priority. Only players who are rostered in approximately 40% or fewer leagues are considered.

Editor's Note: Be sure to also read our other Week 3 waiver wire articles for even more in-depth waiver wire analysis on running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, quarterbacks, defenses, kickers, recommended FAB waiver wire bids and players to consider dropping.

Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options

James White, New England Patriots - 34% rostered

His pal Tom Brady may be gone but James White is still in Foxboro doing James White things. He has six receptions in each of the first two games and his pass-catching role is as safe as ever since lead back Damien Harris is rarely used as a receiver. The downside is the fact White is rarely used as a runner but he did see a red-zone carry in Week 2 and converted it into a touchdown, much to the chagrin of Harris stakeholders. White is the type of running back that rarely excites but consistently produces in PPR leagues.

Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings - 32% rostered

Break out the insurance policy. Those who drafted Dalvin Cook often secured Mattison in the later rounds for the event that injury should occur. Cook went in and out of the game against Arizona and finished up on the field but his ankle may hold him out of practice throughout the week. That means there's a fair chance Mattison either starts or sees an increase in snaps this coming weekend. He's been rarely used thus far, carrying the ball four times in two games, so he is only relevant if Cook is limited or out in Week 3.

Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons - 12% rostered

In spite of the girth of Mike Davis' quads, it's starting to look like Patterson is the more valuable running back in Atlanta despite being a receiver. Patterson qualifies at both positions in Yahoo and many other platforms but is obviously more valuable at RB and that's his new home most of the time. He's a Swiss Army Knife in this offense, including taking snaps in the Wildcat formation. His red-zone usage is what matters most, though. Davis took nine carries to Patterson's seven and was far more productive on the ground but Patterson scored and David didn't. Davis caught seven passes to Patterson's five, but again Patterson scored in the air and Davis didn't. Patterson doesn't bring a high ceiling but his usage in this offense is far higher than expected and the Falcons' schedule will start to ease up with contests against the Giants, Washington, and Jets over the next three weeks.

J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team - 2% rostered

In the season opener, it looked like McKissic was being phased out of the offense altogether. He didn't catch a single pass after hauling in 80 receptions on 110 targets a year ago. Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't exactly the dink and dunk type. Except Fitz is gone for several weeks on IR and it's Taylor Heinicke behind center now. On Thursday Night Football, not only did Heinicke look impressive, he targeted McKissic six times which resulted in five receptions for 83 yards. Even more aggravating to Antonio Gibson's stakeholders, McKissic ran in a touchdown from the two-yard line and took a precious goal-line carry that was supposed to be all Gibson's. If Heinicke can keep getting the job done, McKissic could revert to being a late-round gem and solid RB3 for PPR leagues.

Kerryon Johnson, San Francisco 49ers - 0% rostered

The Niners backfield is one that most fantasy GMs want a piece of somehow but it's starting to look more like one to avoid just to spare headaches. Elijah Mitchell started again but wasn't overly effective and got banged up during the game. Further tests will be done on his right shoulder but his availability for Week 3 is somewhat in doubt. Trey Sermon came in for exactly one carry before leaving with a concussion and he's now in the league's protocol. JaMycal Hasty didn't touch the ball much but was efficient, tallying 38 yards on five carries and caught four passes but he also suffered an ankle injury. That leaves special teamer and recent signee Trenton Cannon along with newly-signed Kerryon Johnson, who was recently let go by the Eagles. Now's the time to ask yourself: how badly do you want a piece of this backfield?

Demetric Felton, Cleveland Browns - 0% rostered

Another hybrid player in the vein of Patterson (see above), the rookie from UCLA made his presence known with a 33-yard TD in Week 2. He might be used even more if Jarvis Landry misses time with a sprained MCL suffered early in the game. Young receivers Anthony Schwartz and Donovan Peoples-Jones have equivalent athleticism and higher draft capital but this offense is staying conservative to play to Baker Mayfield's strengths, so it's more likely that Felton sees targets from a short distance than the wideouts being targeted deep.

Others to consider: Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (36% rostered); Giovani Bernard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (27% rostered); Tony Jones Jr., New Orleans Saints (24% rostered)

Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options

Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders - 34% rostered

This is what Mike Mayock dreamed of. Ruggs looked worthy of a first-round selection on Sunday afternoon when he broke free for a 61-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that effectively sealed the win for Vegas. He ended up with a team-high 113 yards and the second 100-yard game of his career. Few players have the type of weekly ceiling that Ruggs does but predicting those boom weeks will always be tough.

Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals - 33% rostered

As feared by some, the Christian Kirk breakout was a mirage yet again. Moore was taken in the second round to be the type of game-breaker that he was in Week 2. Moore was one of the top fantasy receivers of the week after catching seven passes for 114 yards and a TD. Much of his yardage came on a 77-yard score where he was left completely wide open thanks to Kyler Murray's incredible escapability and improvisation but the fact Moore is tied to Murray at QB is reason enough to have interest. Arizona faces Jacksonville in Week 3 so if you land Moore, insert him immediately into your lineup.

Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos - 22% rostered

It wasn't the huge game we dreamed of but Patrick still rewarded those who added him with a touchdown and 37 yards against Jacksonville. As long as Jerry Jeudy remains out, there is a role for Patrick as the WR2 in this offense. As for KJ Hamler, the story remains the same. He's more physically talented but not mentally focused enough to be a reliable target. He caught one of three targets on the day and had another egregious drop, this time on a short throw. Patrick has the experience and the edge for fantasy purposes.

Bryan Edwards, Las Vegas Raiders - 22% rostered

Edwards' Week 2 output would have looked much better if his touchdown catch wasn't called back due to a holding call. He had another reception called back due to an illegal man downfield penalty. Edwards isn't high on the target pecking order in Vegas but he is getting end zone looks and this pass offense is cooking. Consider him in standard leagues as a deep-league streamer.

Zach Pascal, Indianapolis Colts - 15% rostered

A multi-touchdown game can be dismissed as a fluke but Pascal now has three in two games. Parris Campbell missed the Rams game with another injury and can't seem to stay on the field. That means Pascal will continue to be a factor as long as TY Hilton is on IR. If Carson Wentz is expected to miss games because of his ankle injury, that makes this whole pass offense less intriguing though.

Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders - 3% rostered

Another Renfrow-like performance: several catches with modest yardage. In this case, it was five receptions for 57 yards. His seven targets were tied for a team-high along with Darren Waller and Henry Ruggs, which is a bit surprising. Renfrow will get a constant stream of targets and has weekly TD upside but can never be considered much more than a WR4.

K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings - 2% rostered

Osborn is officially fantasy-relevant. Not only has he stepped up as the WR3 in Minnesota, he's outproduced Justin Jefferson in two straight games. Here's the breakdown so far after Week 2:

Jefferson is still the top target so this isn't some roundabout way of saying his job is in trouble but Osborn definitely deserves to be picked up in all formats because of his early usage.

James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers - 1% rostered

In an extremely frustrating turn of events, Diontae Johnson injured his knee on the final play of the game in a nine-point loss. That meaningless play could lead to missed time for Johnson and an increased role for Washington, who was targeted just once after seeing two the previous game. Before the season, Washington requested a trade and was denied, so it might be time to see if the squeaky wheel gets the grease. A division game against Cincinnati is the perfect chance to see what Washington can do.

Braxton Berrios, New York Jets - 1% rostered

Won't we all be surprised when Berrios leads the Jets in receptions by the end of the season. Berrios has seen a staggering 18 targets in two games and caught 12 of them. Meanwhile, Corey Davis caught just two of five targets in Week 2 after a huge opener, Jamison Crowder was inactive a second straight game, and Denzel Mims was a healthy scratch. Elijah Moore could eventually take over the slot role and make Berrios less relevant but in fantasy you want chase targets and Berrios is the one getting them.

Others to consider: Nelson Agholor, New England Patriots (33% rostered); Emmanuel Sanders, Buffalo Bills (21% rostered); Terrace Marshall Jr., Carolina Panthers (20% rostered); Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions (12% rostered); Darius Slayton, New York Giants (4% rostered); Quez Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles (3% rostered); Cedrick Wilson, Dallas Cowboys (1% rostered)

Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options

Evan Engram, New York Giants - 32% rostered

I realize few people want anything to do with Engram even if he does play in Week 3. Still, Jason Garrett is one of the offensive coordinators who favors the tight end most and some of those targets that have been funneled to Sterling Shepard could go his way. The Giants play at home versus Atlanta in Week 3. That's a defense that was just owned by Gronk and gave up 76 yards and a TD to Philly tight ends the week before.

Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills - 6% rostered

Knox will never go for big yardage and likely won't be higher than the fifth target in this offense but when searching for a tight end to stream, it's best to prioritize one in a potent offense. Knox went for 41 yards in Week 1 and cashed in on a touchdown in Week 2 which shows he has some semblance of floor.

Dan Arnold, Carolina Panthers - 4% rostered

After a relatively quiet Week 1, the Darnold to Arnold connection was activated in Week 2. Arnold caught three balls for 55 yards on four targets while Ian Thomas was less involved with one catch on two targets. The best case for streaming Arnold in Week 3 is a matchup with the Texans defense.

Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys - 2% rostered

Somehow, Schultz saw his rostered percentage drop 10 points after a productive Week 1. It won't shoot up after he hauled in just two passes for 18 yards against the Chargers. There will be ups and downs but Schultz is still drawing targets in a powerful offense.

Maxx Williams, Arizona Cardinals - 0% rostered

There's a reason Williams isn't rostered anywhere. The Cards don't pass to tight ends. Except when they target Maxx Williams seven times in one game as they did in Week 2. And throw 45 passes to Dan Arnold a year ago, making him the fifth-leading target on the team. There is room for Williams to thrive but it's also a stretch to think he'll suddenly be a reliable fantasy option after six years of being a blocking tight end without a season reaching even 300 yards.

Others to consider: Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears (39% rostered); Adam Trautman, New Orleans Saints (10% rostered); Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings (1% rostered)

Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options

Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders - 26% rostered

Is any quarterback more underrated than Carr? He has 817 passing yards and four touchdowns in the first two games. Neither have come against cupcake opponents either, as Baltimore and Pittsburgh are supposed to be among the best defensive units in the league. The Dolphins defense looms next but based on what just went down in their 35-0 loss to Buffalo, there isn't much to worry about. His choice of weapons is looking far better than last year, even though it's essentially the same receiving corps. Credit Carr with finding ways to involve multiple players and get the job done.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants - 26% rostered

So bad, or at least mediocre, in reality. Not too shabby in fantasy. That's Jones, who keeps fumbling and always finds a way to come up short in crunch time yet runs for chunks of yards and piles up fantasy numbers even in losses. His passing numbers haven't been exciting at 267 and 249 yards with one touchdown in each of the first two games. His 95 rushing yards and a TD last week made him the QB6 in Week 2 as of Sunday night. A home tilt with the Falcons is promising for those who stream the QB position.

Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos - 17% rostered

No Jeudy, no problem. Teddy Two Gloves found whoever was open and passed his way to a top-10 fantasy QB finish with 328 yards and two touchdowns. He won't face the Jags every week but it isn't really much tougher when the Jets come to Mile High Stadium in Week 3.

Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers - 15% rostered

Jets fans, feel free to burn Adam Gase at the stake. Darnold has already shown more progress in two games as a Panther than he did in three years as a Jet. It's very early but his 68.4% completion percentage is by far a career-best, he's only been picked off once, and his team is 2-0 heading into a Thursday night matchup with Houston. We might be setting ourselves up for a letdown in this instance but Darnold sure looks legit thanks to Joe Brady's tutelage.

Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team - 4% rostered

Welcome to the world of Heinicke. His playoff success against Tampa Bay last year looks like no fluke, as he lit up the Giants for 336 yards and two TD, including a game-winning drive. It's easy to get carried away by a standout game on prime time TV but we should also remember this is an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion that was previously released by Houston and Carolina. Then again, Ron Rivera brought him over to Washington for a reason. He showed plenty of moxie and has the starting job for at least a few weeks while Ryan Fitzpatrick heals. A road contest with Buffalo is not the time to press your luck, even in Superflex, but he can be stashed in deep-enough leagues.

Others to consider: Mac Jones, New England Patriots (26% rostered); Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (14% rostered)

Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options

Arizona Cardinals Defense - 52% rostered

The Red Birds are in the upper half of the rostered threshold but will likely be dropped in many leagues after giving up 33 points to Minnesota. That would be a mistake because they are about to take on Jacksonville, which is looking to secure the top overall pick for a second straight year. That might be premature to predict but at least we can foresee more turnovers in the near future as Trevor Lawrence has thrown five INT in his first two games.

Carolina Panthers Defense - 8% rostered

Throw out the fantasy numbers and make Carolina your first DST claim based on matchup alone. Thursday nights are known for low score totals (except last week) but it's already been established that Houston will be without Tyrod Taylor. That means rookie Davis Mills will be in the crosshairs for the Carolina pass rush. They picked off Jameis Winston twice and sacked him four times while holding the Saints to seven points. It's a good bet the Texans don't fare much better.

Las Vegas Raiders Defense - 1% rostered

Rare will be the time when the Raiders defense enters the fantasy consciousness but the proposition of facing Miami with backup QB Jacoby Brissett is one of those times. Brissett is a capable QB and won't throw a ton of interceptions but he has a career 8.1% sack% and this offense doesn't look too threatening regardless of who is behind center.

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